NCIL Welcomes Waymo to Washington, DC; Advocates for Inclusive Innovation in Autonomous Transportation
Washington, DC — The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) proudly celebrates Waymo’s expansion into Washington, DC, calling it a significant opportunity to advance accessible, autonomous transportation for people with disabilities.
As the oldest cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities, NCIL recognizes the transformative potential that autonomous vehicle (AV) technology can offer — but only when accessibility and inclusion are foundational priorities.
“Waymo’s arrival in the DC area is an exciting development for the future of mobility,” said Theo Braddy, Executive Director of NCIL. “For this future to work for everyone, the disability community must be at the table from day one — not as an afterthought, but as key partners in shaping the experience.”
Waymo’s Accessibility Network brings together disability advocacy organizations who share in the mission of improving access, mobility, and safety in our communities. Through the network, Waymo partners directly with advocates to design and develop accessibility features that support people living with physical, visual, cognitive and sensory disabilities.
Based on the lived experiences of riders with disabilities, Waymo has taken meaningful steps to embed accessibility into its in-car and in-app user experience, including:
- Screen reader support so blind and low-vision users can navigate the app with labeled buttons and audible feedback;
- Purpose-built car sounds, including honking and musical cues, to help riders locate their vehicle at pickup;
- Assistive in-car audio that announces ride start and key events for users who cannot view the vehicle screen;
- Adaptive navigation with visual, audio, and haptic cues to support users walking to and from the vehicle;
- Settings that reduce walking distance at pickup and drop-off points to meet individual mobility needs; and
- Multilingual support with text and audio features available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
NCIL is committed to working collaboratively with Waymo to ensure these innovations continue to evolve in partnership with the disability community. NCIL encourages people with disabilities in the region to engage with Waymo, provide feedback, and participate in upcoming events and demonstrations.
To support this effort, NCIL is planning to work with Waymo to:
- Host public forums to bring together the disability community and Waymo representatives;
- Facilitate focus groups and usability testing with Centers for Independent Living and consumers;
- Share accessible educational materials and updates about the launch through NCIL’s national network.
“We believe in higher expectations — for transportation, for technology, and for how our community is treated in these spaces,” Braddy added. “This is a chance to get it right, and we look forward to working with Waymo and other partners to make that happen.”
Read more about Waymo’s DC announcement.
For more information or to get involved, please contact NCIL at ncil@ncil.org.
About NCIL
The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. NCIL advances independent living and the rights of people with disabilities through advocacy, leadership development, and systemic change.
About Waymo
Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with a mission to be the world’s most trusted driver. With Waymo One ride-hailing operations already underway in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, and more on the way in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, DC, Waymo’s launch represents its latest step toward building safe, accessible, autonomous transportation for all.
